Saving Jax

by L. M. Brown

  Ty chuckled as Lys opened her mouth and let loose a demanding squeal. "She's also quite greedy," he added as he flipped his cloak out of the way so he could unhook his toga from his shoulder. The movement revealed his newly formed breasts, which he guided the baby to without hesitation.

  Jax knew Ty did it deliberately, to let everyone know he had been the one to carry and deliver the babies. All his life, Ty had caved to the pressure from his parents to keep his dual-gendered status secret, but it had been under protest. Now there was no question at all about what he was. Ty was proud to be dual-gendered, and proud of the litter he had borne.

  Ty's parents entered the room. Jax caught the brief flicker of annoyance on Ty's mother's face, but a quelling glance from her mate halted any comment she had intended to make.

  A whimper from one of the carriages reminded him that it was feeding time, and he followed Ty's example, though he chose to sit on one of the reception couches before he began. His litter was getting a little too heavy for him to comfortably stand to feed them.

  As he hummed to Dem, Ty's father sat beside him. "We sent word to your uncle that you'd be arriving today."

  Jax shivered. "Is he here?"

  "He'll be arriving tomorrow. He sent a couple of servants ahead with his belongings."

  "Lyndon?" Jax whispered, hoping against the odds that maybe his former food source might have decided to stay away.

  "Yes, he was one of them. We've been finding tasks to keep him busy so your arrival wasn't upsetting, but we won't be able to keep it up indefinitely. I would suggest we find somewhere private to talk as soon as you've finished feeding the babies."

  Jax nodded, suddenly wishing he had birthed a litter of eight, just so he could put off the inevitable a little longer.

  *****

  Timon had suggested that the staff could transport the babies to Ty's quarters, and watch over them while they had their meeting. Jax had refused to even consider the idea of letting his babies out of his sight, not while Lyndon was in the same building.

  No amount of persuasion could persuade him to budge. Ty and Cal understood his fears and so they all crowded into Timon's study, babies too.

  Timon turned to Cal. "Have you considered what we spoke about on the flight deck on the journey from Falcair?"

  "I have."

  "And have you discussed it with Jax and Ty?"

  Cal nodded. "Yes, and I still don't like the idea. There has to be another way to avoid allowing Lyndon to become a part of our household."

  Jax coughed. "Would deliberately interfering in the adoption of my first litter carry repercussions for him?"

  Timon shook his head. "I looked into that after you and your brother explained your findings to me. I'm afraid that while circumventing the system is frowned upon, most people turn a blind eye, especially when the result of the interference is to place the litter with a family member. He isn't the first to have taken advantage of the flaws in our system to do such a thing. It won't have any bearing on the contract."

  "I wish I'd never signed the damn thing," Ty muttered. "Common felines get by without such things."

  "Common felines don't control the amount of land that we do," his father replied. "Though I agree, you probably shouldn't have signed it."

  "You told me I should," Ty reminded him.

  "Let me re-phrase that, you shouldn't have signed it when you had no intention of honouring it." Timon speared his son with a sharp glare.

  Ty hung his head and flushed.

  Timon sighed and faced Jax, who immediately felt like avoiding the older feline's gaze, too. "Jax, what do you think of the idea of being bait?"

  What do I think of it? Sick to the stomach. Terrified.

  "I don't know," he replied as honestly as he could. "I don't want him near me at all, but if this is the only way to get out of that term of the contract then I'll go along with it."

  Timon nodded. "To make any form of sexual advance on the claimed mate of a high noble feline is an offence that carries a sentence of imprisonment. From what Cal has told me, Lyndon has already committed that crime, we just can't prove it."

  Jax nodded. He wished he could explain that it wasn't the trapping Lyndon into committing a crime that scared him, it was the fact that he would have to be alone with him to do it. He had defied him by letting Ty and Jax claim him and there was no doubt in his mind that Lyndon would be furious.

  "What about the fact he fathered Jax's two litters?" Ty asked. "Can't we try to get him to admit the truth about that? Wouldn't that at least prove enough to have the contract amended?"

  "Even if he did, it makes no difference as both litters were conceived before you and Cal claimed Jax. There's no law against fathering litters without claiming a mate. If there was, there'd be more felines in prison than out."

  "Then it seems I have no choice," Jax said.

  Timon shook his head. "You could always let Lyndon into your household for the term of the contract, though I should warn you that your time off-world won't count towards that. Orin has already made that clear."

  "Pity," Cal muttered.

  "How are we going to go about this, then?" Jax asked.

  "Are you sure?" Timon replied.

  Jax nodded. "When the alternative is watching over my shoulder, waiting for Lyndon to do exactly what we want to trap him into, what choice is there? I would rather he try this while someone is nearby to stop him, than be caught alone in a few months' time."

  Ty wove his fingers through Jax's. "I'd rather you didn't have to do this at all, but you're right."

  Cal agreed and they put their heads together to hash out a plan. They all agreed that Lyndon was likely to want to get Jax alone as soon as he could, but if they tried to spring their trap too soon, he would figure out their intentions.

  Even though they agreed they wanted to get everything sorted as soon as possible, Jax knew they had to be patient and bide their time a little longer.

  *****

  Ty's new quarters in the palace weren't as luxurious as his former ones, but his parents had assured him that this was because they expected he and his mates would wish to decorate them to their own tastes. He hadn't been entirely pleased about that since decorating was time-consuming and took away from the time he could spend with his mates and the babies. Unfortunately, unless he wanted to look at bare walls and floors for the next few cycles, they would have to do something about it.

  Cal flicked through some swatches of fabric, holding them up to the wall, judging them, and from the expression of distaste, finding them wanting.

  Across the room, Jax played with the babies. Ty had set up a holo-recorder to capture the moment. They had been setting up lots of them around their quarters, but only the family knew they had a second purpose, that being the method of recording Lyndon's true nature and proving it to Orin.

  They had soon realised that getting Orin to be in the right place at the right time was going to be virtually impossible. So they had decided to set up recording devices around their quarters. Each of the machines was activated by movement and they had been having a lot of fun watching the holograms, seeing moments one or another of them might have missed.

  All the devices were out in the open, save for the one in the bedchamber, which they had installed late at night, after the staff had retired. It was hidden in plain sight on a shelf full of books, ornaments, and various odds and ends that Cal had put together.

  Ty still wasn't sure Jax should try to trap Lyndon at all, and he had even more reservations about doing so in their bedchamber, a place he wanted Jax to feel safe.

  Jax, however, had pointed out that Lyndon would never try anything where there was a possibility of being caught unawares. So they had decided on the bedchamber and set things up ready for them to spring the trap.

  The chime on the outer door to their quarters rang out as it opened. Rags pushed in a trolley with fresh linens for the cribs on it. Cal hopped to his feet and they both went into the bedchamber to chang
e the bedding.

  Ty liked Rags, who was cheerful in his duties and had been a good friend to Cal. He hoped the feline wasn't going hungry now Ty had claimed Cal and deprived him of his food source. He smiled at Rags as he vowed to make some discreet enquiries. His smile dropped immediately when he turned back to the door to see Lyndon strolling into the room with his usual arrogance.

  Even without knowing what the feline had done to Jax, Ty couldn't imagine ever liking Lyndon. There was something about him that rubbed his fur the wrong way. Like now, when he ignored everyone else in the room and made straight for Jax.

  "Master Jax, how can I be of service?" he asked, sweeping a low bow. His tone was mocking and his gesture likewise.

  Jax, who was playing with the babies, stiffened.

  Ty coughed pointedly. "Have the new rugs been delivered yet?"

  "No," Lyndon replied without turning away from Jax.

  "Can you go and check, please?" Ty asked. "They were due today."

  "It's only late morning."

  Ty growled at the impertinence. Any other member of staff would have hurried to do his bidding, and while Ty wasn't fond of giving orders, the fact that Lyndon refused to obey only served to annoy him even more. "If they aren't here, perhaps you might go to the store and find out what the holdup is."

  "I'm certain they'll be here soon. I'm sure I can be of more use here with Master Jax."

  Ty rose from his seat, his patience at an end. "My mate has no need of your services right now. Now go check on the status of the rugs and don't come back until you either have them with you or can tell me exactly when to expect them."

  "My role in this household is to assist Master Jax."

  Ty stalked across the room. "It will assist Jax to have rugs to sit on, instead of the cold floor. Now go."

  Lyndon growled and muttered something under his breath, but he at least left the room, slamming the door behind him.

  Ty bobbed down beside Jax. "Are you okay?"

  Jax nodded. "He's getting more disrespectful every day."

  "Have we really only been back two weeks?"

  "Not even that for another two days," Jax replied. "He's getting impatient to get me alone."

  Ty sat on the floor and kissed Jax. "I hate the idea of him being alone with you, even though it's going to happen sooner or later."

  Jax smiled. "I'll be okay. Cal has been teaching me a few moves to fend him off until you both come to my rescue."

  "I'd still like to know where Cal learned those sneaky moves."

  "From Rags," Cal replied as he and Rags returned. "He's so small he had to learn how to scrap to defend himself, and he practiced on me."

  Rags laughed and gave them all a mock snarl as he unsheathed his claws and took up a fighting stance. "Cal was born sneaky."

  Ty wondered how much Rags had overheard. Some of his worry must have shown on his face because Rags dropped his hands and shuffled his paws.

  "What's wrong?" Cal asked.

  Rags sighed. "I think your mate just realised that I've been hearing a lot of things around here that I shouldn't have."

  "Oh." Cal stepped forward, partially shielding Rags from Ty. "We can trust Rags not to say anything."

  "I haven't really heard that much anyway," Rags added. "I just know there's lots of tension between you and Lyndon and that you're worried about what might happen if he's ever alone with Jax."

  Ty nodded. "Jax and Lyndon have a history together and Lyndon has made it clear he's not happy that I took Jax as my mate."

  Rags glanced at Patty and his eyes widened.

  They hadn't said anything to the staff about Jax's litter being Lyndon's. The babies were introduced as belonging to Ty, Jax, and Cal and no one had dared to question Patty's paternity, even though her markings clearly didn't come from any of her supposed parents.

  "Does he know?" Rags asked, with a nervous look at the door.

  Jax snorted. "He'd have to be blind or stupid not to. It doesn't matter, he won't admit they're his and doesn't want anything to do with them."

  "Are you sure?" Rags asked. "Maybe that's why he's always trying to spend time with you."

  Cal shook his head at Rags and gestured for him to end that line of questioning. Ty didn't blame Rags for the conclusions he had jumped to. After all, most parents would want to spend time getting to know their babies. Lyndon wasn't a parent though, just a feline who had fucked Jax with the typical consequences.

  Jax picked Patty up and held her in his arms. "Lyndon will have nothing to do with my babies, whether he wants to or not. Thankfully for me, he doesn't have any interest in them at all."

  Ty took Patty from Jax and grinned at her. "We don't need him, do we darling? You get plenty of love from your three papas."

  Patty made a noise that might have been a giggle and Ty tried to encourage her to repeat it. The tension broke and the conversation moved on to their decorating efforts. Rags was enlisted to help Cal hang some drapes while Ty and Jax looked after the babies.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jax hugged Ty and wished he didn't have to let him go. He was more scared than he wanted to admit. They were going to set the trap now and see whether Lyndon went for the bait—him.

  The youngsters were with Timon and Demi, who were thoroughly enjoying their roles as doting grandparents. Jax had been delighted to see that they had treated the litter he had borne exactly the same as Ty's. All five babies were part of their family now, regardless of who had fathered Jax's litter. Even though Ty had brought up the idea of their family moving to the lodge at some point in the future, Jax had a suspicion that wasn't going to happen. Timon and Demi were not going to allow them to live so far away, not when they could have them under the same roof. Jax found he didn't mind too much and the extra sets of hands were always welcome.

  "I'm going to take a nap," Jax announced with a stretch and a yawn. "Are you going to be long?"

  "Maybe an hour or two," Ty replied as he and Cal grabbed a couple of cloaks from the closet. The rain had been falling persistently for the last two days, and if they wanted to convince Lyndon they were going out they had to dress the part. Not that they intended to go wandering around in the downpour. They were going to head out of the main entrance and then slip in through the servants' door and go right back upstairs, where they would wait in the gallery that ran along the opposite side of the corridor to their quarters, and watch for Lyndon.

  The three of them had gone over the plan several times, and Jax had assured his mates that he could keep Lyndon at arms' length long enough for them to make their way back upstairs.

  There was a slight risk that Ty and Cal could run into Lyndon as they made their way through the staff quarters, but it was a slim one. Lyndon spent little time in that area of the palace, preferring to wander around the building as though he were an honoured guest, rather than one of the servants.

  Jax kissed the two of them at the doorway and closed it behind them. The sound of it clicking shut seemed to echo through the room. It was the first time he had been alone in the palace, and he felt vulnerable in the same way he had when he had been held prisoner in his own home. Waiting for Lyndon and wondering what sort of a mood he might be in when he came to feed him. Jax shook his head at his thoughts. There was no question about the state of Lyndon's temper today. He would be furious.

  He headed into the bedchamber but didn't climb into bed. He had no intention of putting himself at a disadvantage right from the start. Instead, he sat in the window seat and watched the rain. Anything more productive would’ve required him to concentrate, and he was far too nervous for that.

  Every sound had him jumping, even though the chime of the bell over the outer door hadn't rung, and he was still alone.

  When the bell sounded his heart pounded so loudly he almost didn't hear it at all. He wiped his sweaty palms on his toga and took a breath to steady himself.

  Lyndon appeared in the doorway. He was certainly predictable. "No bodyguards today?" he asked.<
br />
  "My mates are running some errands," Jax replied, making sure to emphasise Ty and Cal's roles in his life.

  Lyndon walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, reclining casually. "Did you enjoy your little trip off-world?"

  "Yes, I did, very much." Jax wondered where Lyndon was going with this, but he decided to play along for the moment.

  "Then you enjoyed defying me?"

  Jax frowned. "What I do is none of your business, you never claimed me, remember?"

  "Why would I claim such a weak, pathetic creature like you?" Lyndon asked with a sneer. "When I take a mate it will be someone who is my equal."

  "Have you checked the Pleasure Station for a mate?" Jax replied.

  Lyndon snorted out a laugh. "Don't try to be clever, Jax, it doesn't suit you. We both know your talents lie elsewhere."

  Jax shot him a glare before turning back to the window.

  "I thought maybe I'd take your uncle as my mate," Lyndon continued. "He's a feline with land and power, but he's remarkably stubborn and determined to keep all that power to himself. I thought I'd have worn him down by now, but sadly not."

  Jax shook his head without bothering to turn back to Lyndon. He could see his reflection in the glass if he made a move. "My uncle will never take a mate. He intends to leave his land to Rhys, even I know that."

  "And Rhys prefers the female form," Lyndon muttered. "It's most unfortunate."

  "Not for Rhys," Jax replied under his breath. "What do you want, Lyndon?"

  "What do I want?" Lyndon echoed. "I want what is mine."

  Jax kept his eyes on the pane as he watched Lyndon stroke himself through the fabric of his kilt, his cock rising.

  "Come here, Jax," Lyndon ordered.

  Jax stayed where he was. Lyndon hadn't done anything to really incriminate himself yet. His uncle would be interested to hear about Lyndon's plans, unfulfilled as they were, but his arrogant plotting wouldn't help Jax and his mates get out of the contract.

  Lyndon rose and approached him. "Come Jax, let's not waste any more time fighting."